Feed assembly for overhead strapper

ABSTRACT

An overhead strapper is of the type for feeding a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load. The strapping machine includes a frame, an upper horizontally oriented platen mounted to the frame for vertical movement along the frame a modular strapping head mounted to and movable with the platen and a modular feed head mounted to the frame, spaced from the strapping head. A strap guide is mounted in part to the frame and in part to the platen. The strap guide provides a varying length pathway from the feed head to the strapping head. A strap chute is mounted to the frame. Strap material is fed into the strapping machine through the feed head, through the guide and into the strapping head. The strap traverses through the strapping head into the strap chute and back to the strapping head for retraction, tensioning and sealing to itself. The guide includes a vertically extending portion having a varying height strap path dependent upon the vertical position of the upper horizontally oriented platen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an overhead strapper. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a feed assembly for an overhead strapper. Strappers are in widespread use to, for example, position and tension strap material around a load. Strapping loads may be done for a number of reasons. Often, loads are strapped in order to facilitate handling and transport.

Many loads that require strapping are large, oversized loads. Loads may also be compressible. For example, the load may be a large stack of cardboard items or a bale of textile material.

In order to accommodate large or oversized loads, overhead strapping machines are used. In such strapping machines, the size of the strap chute can be varied by raising and lowering a horizontal platen that carries the upper portion of the strap chute. In this manner, the platen can be brought into close contact with the upper surface of a load prior to strapping. This reduces the opportunity for strapper malfunction by maintaining the size (height) of the strap chute only to that required to accommodate the load.

In known overhead strappers, the feed and strapping heads are located at the top platen. This can result in problems vis-à-vis maintenance or repair of the feed and strapping heads.

Accordingly, there is a need for an overhead strapping machine that relocates the feed head off of the overhead platen. Desirably, such a machine locates the feed head at a position or location that lends itself to ease of maintenance or repair.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An overhead strapper of the type for feed a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load is disclosed. The strapping machine includes a frame, an upper horizontally oriented platen mounted to the frame for vertical movement along the frame and a modular strapping head mounted to the platen and movable therewith.

A modular feed head is mounted to the frame, spaced from the strapping head. The feed head is stationary relative to the platen; this is, it is fixed on the frame. A strap guide is mounted in part to the frame and in part to the platen. The strap guide providing a varying length pathway from the feed head to the strapping head.

In a current embodiment, the strap guide is formed from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions (tile-like elements) that move or pivot between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the pathway and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the pathway. The pairs of discrete wall portions are biased inwardly to the closed position.

A turning assembly is mounted for movement with the platen and cooperates with the strap guide to redirect the strap as the strap exits from the pathway to the strapping head. An extension portion extends from the turning assembly to the strapping head. The extension portion is oriented at an angle downwardly from the turning assembly to the strapping head.

The strapper includes a strap chute mounted to the frame. Strap material is fed into the strapping machine through the feed head, through the guide and into the strapping head. The strap traverses through the strapping head into the strap chute and back to the strapping head for retraction, tensioning and sealing to itself.

Like the strap guide, the strap chute is formed, in part from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions that move between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the chute and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the chute.

Vertically extending portions of the guide and chute have a varying height strap path dependent upon the vertical position of the upper horizontally oriented platen. The varying height is provided by the discrete wall portions that close to form the strap guide or chute and open to release the strap.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an overhead strapper having a feed assembly embodying the principles of the present invention, the strapper being shown with a dispenser for feeding strap material;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the strapper with the overhead platen lowered;

FIG. 3 is a close up view of the feed head and slack box mounted at about grade elevation to a side of the strapper;

FIG. 4 is another close-up illustration of the feed head;

FIG. 5 is a view of the rear of the feed head illustrating the hinged arrangement for mounting the slack box to the machine frame and showing the (transparent plastic) slack box cover;

FIG. 6 is another view of the hinged arrangement mounting the slack box to the strapper strap chute area and showing a portion of the strap guide;

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the rear of the strapper;

FIG. 8 is a close up view of the strap guide and turning element for guiding the strap material to the strapping head;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the guide and the strapping head located inside of the platen;

FIG. 10 is a close up view of the strapping head and the end of the guide;

FIG. 11 is a view of the strapping head and guide from the opposite side as the view of FIG. 10 and showing two strapping heads and guides in place;

FIG. 12 illustrates a vertical portion of the strap chute inside of the strapper load region;

FIG. 13 illustrates the far side of the strap chute (opposite of the feed head) within the load region; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of the feed assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the photograph and drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.

It should be understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.

Referring now to the figures and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a strapper 10 having an improved feed assembly 12 embodying the principles of the present invention. The present feed assembly 12 is configured for use with an overhead strapper. That is, the strapping function is carried out at the top of, or over the strapped load. In the present strapper 10, an upper platen 14 (carrying the strap chute 18 upper portion 18 b) can be raised and lowered, as will be discussed below, in order to accommodate loads of differing heights.

The strapper 10 includes generally, a frame 20, a strap material dispenser 22, the feed assembly 12 (including a feed head 24, a guide 26 and a strapping head 28) and the strap chute 18. The feed and strapping heads 24, 28 are separate and spaced from one another. In the present strapper 10, the strapping head or sealing head 28 is located on the horizontal portion or platen 14 that is raised and lowered to accommodate the differing load heights. Advantageously, this positions the strapping head 28 proximal to, and in fact just above, the load. The strapping head 28 is that portion of the strapper 10 through which the strap S traverses into and out of the strap chute 18, and at which the strap material S is sealed onto itself (as by welding) and severed from the strap supply 22.

The feed head 24 is that portion of the strapper 10 that draws the strap material S from the dispenser 22, feeds the strap material S through the guide 26 to the strapping head 28, into and around the strap chute 18, and back to the strapping head 28. Unlike known overhead strappers, in the feed assembly 12 of the present strapper 10, the feed head 24 is mounted at a stationary location. The feed head 24 is mounted at about grade level at a side of the strapper 10 in order to facilitate maintenance on the feed head 24. In the present arrangement, the strapper 10 includes a slack box 30 adjacent to the feed head 24, into which strap S is fed or pulled from the dispenser 22. The slack box 30 is used to provide a supply of readily available strap material S for the feed head 28. The slack box 30 configuration provides for a supply of strap material that is accessed or “pulled” without excessive resistance and without running out the material S on the dispenser 22.

As set forth above, the present feed assembly 12 facilitates maintenance of the feed head 24. To this end, the feed head 24 is preferably a modular component that is mounted to the frame 20 in an arrangement such as that disclosed in Flaum et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,892, which patent is commonly assigned with the present application and is incorporated herein by reference.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the strap chute 18 is that portion of the strapper 10 that defines the load area, indicated generally at 32 in FIG. 2, (i.e., that path through which the strap S travels to encircle the load), and from which the strap S is “pulled” onto the load during retraction and tensioning. As such, for purposes of the present disclosure, and because of the separated or spaced positioning of the feed head 24 and the strapping head 28, the present strapper 10, uses the guide 26 which is disposed between the feed head 24 and the strapping head 28. This is to accommodate the distance and to provide a path between the feed head 24 and the strapping head 28 for conveying the strap S.

The present guide 26 includes a vertical portion 34 having a tiled wall 36 (FIGS. 4-8) arrangement that permits varying the height of the vertical guide portion 34. Each of the tile pairs 36 a, 36 b . . . 36 f, 36 g (one side shown, with a mirror image tile on the opposing side of the guide vertical portion 34) defines a portion of a pathway through which the strap S traverses. The tiles 36 are biased inwardly to define the pathway and can be urged outwardly to open the pathway to permit the strap S to exit the guide 26 (see, e.g., FIG. 8 in which tiles 36 d,e,f and g are urged against the bias, outwardly to open the guide 26 while the tiles above and below 36 d-g are biased inwardly to maintain the guide 26 closed). The tiled arrangement forms discrete guide 26 wall portions (or chute 18 wall portions as discussed below) through which the strap S is fed. In this manner, with the tiles 36 oriented inward, the pathway is fully defined, but when the tiles 36 (see again FIG. 8, tiles 36 d-g) are urged outward, the strap S can exit the pathway.

The strap S then traverses through a turning assembly 38 that is mounted to move with the overhead platen 14. The turning assembly 38 moves along the vertical guide portion 34 and includes a gate 40 that opens the tiles 36 at a location at which the gate 40 (and thus the turning assembly 38) is positioned. In this manner, as the turning assembly 38 moves up and down along the vertical portion 34 with the platen 14, it opens the tiles 36 at the turning assembly 38 to permit the strap S to exit. The turning assembly 38 provides for turning the strap path from the vertical guide portion 34 to an inclined extension 42 to the strapping head 28. Those portions of the guide 26 from and including the gate 40 to the inclined extension 42 are fixedly mounted to the platen 14.

FIGS. 8-11 best illustrate the inclined guide extension 42 from the turning assembly 38 to the strapping head 28. The extension portion 42 is suspended from a boom 44 that is maintained between the strapping head 28 and the turning portion 38. In this manner, the guide 26 is maintained relatively rigid so that no obstructions are provided through the guide 26 from the turning assembly 38 to the strapping head 28.

As can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11 the strapping head 28 is mounted to the platen 14, also in a manner that facilitates maintenance. To this end, the strapping head 28 is preferably mounted to the platen 14 in a modular manner using a clamping arrangement 46 such as that disclosed in the above-noted patent to Flaum et al.

From the strapping head 28 the strap S is guided into the strap chute 18. The strap chute 18 is that portion of the strap path that “surrounds” or envelops the load. In the present strapper 10, in order to accommodate the movement of the upper platen 14, the strap chute 18 along the vertical sides 18 a, 18 c is also configured in a tiled manner (see FIGS. 12 and 13). As such, the strap S only traverses through that portion of the strap chute 18 as necessary in order to position the horizontal platen 14 at the desired height. The junctures 48 of the vertical strap chute portions 18 a, 18 c and the upper horizontal chute portion 18 b (at the platen 14) also include gates 50 that direct the strap S out of (or in to) the vertical portions 18 a, 18 c at that point at which the gates 50 are positioned along the vertical chute portions 18 a, 18 c.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, the feed head 24 is mounted to the frame 20 in a nesting manner. A mounting bar 52 on the feed head 24 is configured for insertion into a slot 54 in the frame 20. A locking lever 56 is used to engage or disengage (lock or unlock) the feed head 24 from the frame 20.

As set forth above, the slack box 30 is mounted to the frame 20 by a hinge 58. As such, when it is desired to remove the feed head 24 from the frame 20, the slack box 30 is pivoted out of the way to permit readily lifting the feed head 24 from the frame 20.

All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.

In the disclosures, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.

From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modification and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims. 

1. An overhead strapper of the type for feed a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load, the strapping machine comprising: a frame; an upper horizontally oriented platen mounted to the frame for vertical movement along the frame; a modular strapping head mounted to the platen and movable therewith; a modular feed head mounted to the frame, spaced from the strapping head; a strap guide mounted in part to the frame and in part to the platen, the strap guide providing a varying length pathway from the feed head to the strapping head; and a strap chute mounted to the frame, wherein strap material is fed into the strapping machine through the feed head, through the guide and into the strapping head, the strap traversing through the strapping head into the strap chute and back to the strapping head for retraction, tensioning and sealing to itself, and wherein the guide includes a vertically extending portion having a varying height strap path dependent upon the vertical position of the upper horizontally oriented platen.
 2. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 1 wherein a portion of the strap guide is formed from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions that move between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the pathway and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the pathway.
 3. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of the pair of discrete wall portions is biased inwardly to the closed position.
 4. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 2 including a turning assembly mounted for movement with the platen and cooperating with the strap guide to redirect the strap as the strap exits from the pathway to the strapping head.
 5. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 4 including an extension portion extending from the turning assembly to the strapping head, the extension portion being oriented at an angle downwardly from the turning assembly to the strapping head.
 6. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 1 wherein the strap chute is formed, in part from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions that move between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the chute and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the chute.
 7. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 6 wherein the plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions are disposed on opposing vertical portions of the strap chute.
 8. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of the pair of discrete wall portions is biased inwardly to the closed position.
 9. An overhead strapper of the type for feed a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load, the strapping machine comprising: a frame; an upper horizontally oriented platen mounted to the frame for vertical movement along the frame; a modular strapping head mounted to the platen and movable therewith; a modular feed head mounted to the frame, spaced from the strapping head; a strap guide mounted in part to the frame and in part to the platen, the strap guide providing a varying length pathway from the feed head to the strapping head, the strap guide being formed, in part, along a vertical portion thereof, from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions that move between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the pathway and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the pathway; a strap chute mounted to the frame, the strap chute being formed, in part, along opposing vertical portions thereof, from a plurality of pairs of discrete wall portions that move between a closed configuration to retain the strap within the chute and an open configuration in which the strap is released from the chute; and a turning assembly mounted for movement with the platen and cooperating with the strap guide to redirect the strap as the strap exits from the pathway to the strapping head, wherein strap material is fed into the strapping machine through the feed head, through the guide and into the strapping head, the strap traversing through the strapping head into the strap chute and back to the strapping head for retraction, tensioning and sealing to itself, and wherein the guide includes a vertically extending portion having a varying height strap path dependent upon the vertical position of the upper horizontally oriented platen.
 10. The overhead strapper in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of the pair of discrete wall portions forming the strap guide portion and the strap chute portion is biased inwardly to the closed position. 